Weekly Marketing Rundown - July 11, 2025

Weekly Marketing Rundown - February 6, 2026 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! We’re diving into the latest updates you need to know regarding new Meta Advantage+ Creative Enhancements, Social Media trends for 2026, new social media platforms and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM AI-Generated Video with Advantage+ Creative Meta is testing a new AI feature that automatically creates short videos from your existing images. The tool uses artificial intelligence to turn static photos into 15 to 20 second clips with movement and music. For Mission Teams This tool enables teams to quickly and easily create additional video creative for ads. As with all of Meta’s Creative Enhancements, users are encouraged to review outputs before publishing. The feature helps teams reach more people through visual storytelling while keeping digital outreach simple and cost-effective. https://www.jonloomer.com/advantage-plus-creative-video-generation-beta/ U.S. Senators Propose New Rules to Stop Fake Social Media Ads Lawmakers want to pass a law that forces social media companies to prove who their advertisers really are. This bill aims to stop criminals from using paid ads to trick people and steal their money. Some platforms, such as Meta, already employ identity verification for advertisers in certain instances. For Mission Teams This law could make it harder for teams to run ads because platforms will require much stricter identity checks. While this helps prevent scams, the potential for paper-trails could raise security concerns for teams working in secure contexts. https://archive.is/AGR28 2026 Social Media Study Shows Big Changes in Popularity A new study looked at millions of posts to see how people use social media today. For organic campaigns the study found that TikTok is the best place to get attention, while sites like Facebook and Instagram are seeing fewer people interact with posts. It should be noted that this engagement data was primarily comment driven as DMs do not show on public data feeds. It also does not reflect global platform differences based on regions and other important nuances. For Mission Teams Teams running global campaigns with lower-level engagement goals may prioritize TikTok, but it’s important to recognize that user behavior varies by platform. For example, users may be more likely to send direct messages on Instagram than on TikTok. Teams should experiment with platforms and strategies to determine what works best in their specific context. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/2026-social-media-benchmarks-infographic/811179/ France Considers Restricting VPN Access to Protect Younger Users France is looking for ways to stop children under fifteen from using social media apps. They are thinking about limiting the use of VPNs so kids cannot hide their location to bypass age rules. For Mission Teams If countries ban VPNs, it will be much harder for mission teams to stay hidden and safe online. This change could also prevent seekers in restricted areas from safely finding and viewing your evangelism content. https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/france-might-seek-restrictions-on-vpn-use-in-campaign-to-keep-minors-off-social-media-205308716.html New Video App UpScrolled Gains Users by Promising More Freedom A new app called UpScrolled is becoming popular because it promises not to sensor or hide people's posts. Many people are joining this platform because they want an alternative to TikTok that shows posts in the order they were shared. For Mission Teams This platform presents an opportunity to share the gospel without the concern of content being shadowbanned or suppressed by algorithms. As with any emerging platform, the user base is still limited, and teams should experiment before committing to full adoption. https://www.tubefilter.com/2026/01/30/upscrolled-tiktok-alternative-open-platform-no-censorship/ Meta Predicts AI Will Power All Parts of Social Media in 2026 Meta plans to use artificial intelligence to suggest videos and help people spend 20% more time on their apps. These new tools are also helping businesses grow by allowing computers to chat with over one million people every week. For Mission Teams Improved AI ranking and dubbing tools can help your evangelism videos reach significantly more people across multiple languages. Advertisers are also reporting 24% improvement in conversion attribution, underscoring the growing importance of video-based content. One thing is clear: AI enhancements are here to stay. However, it remains unclear how these changes will impact teams around the world that rely on Meta’s platforms for digital engagement. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-outlines-ai-powered-system-improvements/810886/ Meta Reports Significant Growth in Users and Revenue for Late 2025 Meta’s latest report shows that daily active users across its apps have grown to 3.32 billion people. The company also saw its revenue climb by 18% as more people spent time watching Reels and interacting with AI-suggested content. For Mission Teams With over 3 billion people active on these platforms, the potential to reach unreached groups through social media advertising is greater than ever. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-posts-increases-in-users-and-revenue-in-q4/810801/ Foundations of Digital Engagement Strategy Course May 13-16, 2026 (Pre-EMDC Training) Chiang Mai, Thailand This course is for you. Digital permeates virtually every aspect of people's lives and it should be present in every stage of your mission and ministry strategy. Join Kavanah Media staff during the Pre-EMDC training week for a time of practical training in digital engagement. This course is designed for you to examine your end to end strategy and find ways that digital components can be added or improved whether you are just ready to begin or an experienced practitioner. Follow the link or contact us for more details. https://emdcon.org/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement  Looking for ways to use digital tools to grow evangelism and disciple-making? Check out our other resources: Kavanah Media Blog – Learn from our experiences serving hundreds of mission teams worldwide. We share practical lessons, real stories, and best practices to help your team avoid mistakes and grow in digital outreach. Subscribe here. YouVersion Reading Plan– Jon Ralls, CEO of Kavanah Media, just launched a powerful 4-day devotional on YouVersion called "Love Where You Are." Subscribe here Ad Resource Store- Stumped on what ads to run next? Check out Kavanah Media's Ad Resource Store for ideas, templates and more! Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: February 6, 2026

Weekly Marketing Rundown - August 15, 2025 Welcome to this week’s edition of Kavanah Media’s Weekly Marketing Rundown! In this issue we cover Meta and Google's political ad restrictions in the EU, Buffer's latest report on Instagram posting, the US government's response to the EU's Digital Services Act and more. Enjoying the Weekly Marketing Rundown? Support our work and keep it free for missions teams worldwide: https://www.kavanahmedia.com/donatetoKM Meta to Stop Political and Social Issue Ads in the EU Meta announced that it will no longer allow political, electoral, or social issue advertising across its platforms in the European Union. This change is part of Meta’s effort to simplify ad rules and reduce the risk of non-compliance with complex EU regulations. To see the current list of Social Issues and how Meta defines, them go here: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/214754279118974?id=288762101909005 For Mission Teams: To prevent unnecessary disruptions, teams should ensure their ads steer clear of any listed social issues. It’s not enough to avoid these topics directly—content should also minimize any chance of being misinterpreted, as Meta’s AI review systems can mistakenly flag ads as non-compliant. 🔗 https://about.fb.com/news/2025/07/ending-political-electoral-and-social-issue-advertising-in-the-eu US Government Pushes Back on EU’s Digital Services Act The US government is opposing how the EU is enforcing its Digital Services Act (DSA) against Meta, claiming the rules unfairly target American companies. The DSA requires platforms to remove harmful content quickly and share more data with regulators, but US officials argue it may violate trade rules and put extra burdens on US-based tech giants like Meta, Google, and X. For Mission Teams: US pressure could shift EU policy and significantly impact how companies operate internationally, influencing content moderation, ad targeting, and even platform accessibility in Europe. Teams should remain ready to adapt strategies and platforms as companies respond to evolving political and regulatory landscapes. 🔗 https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/us-government-oppose-eu-digital-services-act-meta/757137/ Google's Updates: Sitelinks, EU Political Ads Ban, and Ads Placement in AI Search A leaked document shows Google is gearing up to place ads directly inside its AI-powered search experience, with a major launch expected before Q4. Unlike traditional keyword search ads, these will be selected based on the entire conversation context, not just the initial query. Brands using Performance Max or AI Max for Search will automatically qualify for these placements—marking a significant shift in how paid visibility works on Google Search. It is also adding sitelinks to Ad Strength Rankings. At the same time, Google is tightening political ad rules in the EU, restricting such placements to comply with upcoming regulations. For Mission Teams: AI-driven targeting can improve ad relevance but may also introduce uncertainty about where ads appear. Including sitelinks in ads will impact the Strength score. Similar to Meta’s EU political ad restrictions, teams should avoid topics that AI moderation tools might mistakenly flag as political or socially sensitive to prevent unnecessary limitations. 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/google-ads-news-week-32-adriaan-dekker-zlkie/ Update Regarding Meta's New "Review Keywords" Ad Feature Last week (see here) we included an article discussing Meta's "Review Keywords" ad feature, and after some feedback we wanted to offer clarification. This feature states the following on Ads Manager: Review keywords We will use AI to extract positive keywords from your Page’s reviews and display them in a proprietary unit underneath the ad. Example keywords: "Great service" "Fast shipping" "Reliable" For Mission Teams: Our previous entry suggested that if a team had negative reviews, the new review feature could pull those instead. Clearly, Meta states that will not be the case - it is supposed to only flag positive reviews. HOWEVER, that is dependent on Meta's systems correctly identifying which reviews are positive and which are negative in a mission team's field of service and language. If a team has any doubt that this feature will yield positive results, it is recommended to simply disable it in Ads Manager Settings. Meta Faces Whistleblower Allegations Over Privacy and Copyright A whistleblower claims Meta ignored internal warnings about privacy and copyright violations tied to its AI systems. The allegations suggest Meta trained AI models on copyrighted material without proper licenses and overlooked potential privacy breaches. Lawmakers and regulators may investigate, and the case could have legal and financial consequences. For Mission Teams: Teams should be ready to adjust strategies as regulators and social platforms respond to these changes. Additionally, assume that any information published online—even if posted on one's own website and marked ‘no index’—can still be accessed or crawled by external entities. Avoid posting any content that, if exposed, could create security risks. 🔗 https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/meta-facebook-tech-copyright-privacy-whistleblower How Often Should You Post on Instagram? Buffer’s article recommends posting on Instagram 3–5 times per week to stay active and keep followers engaged. It emphasizes that consistency and quality matter more than posting every day, and that overposting can actually reduce engagement. The advice is based on platform data and user behavior trends. For Mission Teams: For mission teams, this helps shape smarter content schedules and avoid burnout. Posting less often can reduce the risk of account misuse, especially if fewer people need access. It also encourages using planning tools to stay organized and focused on meaningful updates. 🔗 https://buffer.com/resources/how-often-to-post-on-instagram/ 🎬 Meta’s Translate Media Tool for Video Ads Jon Loomer’s article introduces Meta’s new “Translate Media” feature, which automatically converts text in video ads into different languages. It’s meant to help advertisers reach more people without making separate versions of each ad. For Mission Teams: For marketing teams, this could save time and make global campaigns easier. But it also means checking translations for accuracy and keeping an eye on how automated tools handle brand messaging and privacy. 🔗 https://www.jonloomer.com/qvt/translate-media-feature-for-video-ads/ Stay Equipped for Digital Engagement At Kavanah Media, we’re committed to helping mission teams use digital tools to make God known around the world. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, practical insights, or in-depth strategy, we’ve got resources to help: Kavanah Media Blog – Learn from our experiences serving hundreds of mission teams worldwide. We share practical lessons, real stories, and best practices to help your team avoid mistakes and grow in digital outreach. Subscribe here. YouVersion Reading Plan– Jon Ralls, CEO of Kavanah Media, just launched a powerful 8-day devotional on YouVersion called "Living in Tension." Subscribe here Digital Strategies got you stumped? Reach out anytime—we’re ready to help. Contact Us Thanks for reading this edition of Kavanah Media's Weekly Marketing Rundown! For more up-to-date insights in digital marketing, make sure to follow us on Instagram @kavanah_media and stay connected through all our social media channels via the link below. https://linktr.ee/kavanah_media Authors: Cody A. and Cherry Messimer Article Published: August 15, 2025